PGMA allots P300M for DA-6
The ongoing Senate probe on former agriculture undersecretary Jocelyn "Jocjoc" Bolante will not affect the delivery of services of the Department of Agriculture (DA) in Western Visayas as President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has approved a P300 million budget for the agency in 2009.
DA-6 Regional Executive Director Larry Nacionales said the national government wants to pour out more funds for the infrastructure projects. The P300 million presidential funds are only for the region, separate from the national budget. The department even wants to professionalize the agriculture sector.
Nacionales said they want to embark on the "infrastructure activity" in preparation for the effects of global economic crisis in the future. It will evolve in the FIELDS program of the Arroyo administration. It includes teaching farmers in producing organic fertilizers, construction of farm-to-market roads and irrigation systems, extension projects, loan and certified seeds. Though, not much would be allocated in the distribution of certified seeds.
He added they are hoping to generate more jobs for the people. The people will feel the global crisis in the future and preparations should be made especially in the agriculture sector.
Meanwhile, the municipal agrarian officers, provincial agriculturists, and commodity program coordinators in the region will receive 60 percent of their incentives this week. The incentives range from P2,500 to P3,500 depending on the classification of the extension officers.
The announcement for the release of the incentives was made yesterday during the opening of the three-day Capability Building for GMA program implementers at the Amigo Terrace Hotel. The activity was attended by more than 1,000 participants coming from the different provinces.
The activity aims to refresh the DA extension workers to take a look in the basic fundamentals in the political and administrative bureaucracy. The topics in line for the activity are "professionalizing agriculture sector/updates and PRC Rules and Regulations, good governance and values and ethics/organizational behavior.